i'm currently looking on ebay (i know, i know ) for bits and bobs of computer bits, nothing specific, just having a nosey at the mo Now i know its an odd time at the moment, but how on earth are people putting up stuff on ebay thats second hand, but wanting higher prices than new??? literally, i'm looking at GPU, Chips, motherboards, and the stuff is used, but looking on OCUK, scan, or virtually anywhere else and i can get it cheaper? i'm know i'm usually missing something, but what gives?
Supply & demand. There is demand, and supply is short, so a premium can be charged for "it's second hand but it's right here and you can definitely get it" vs "new, but may not even be available to order, or you may order it and find it's out of stock".
Webcams seem to be selling for 1.5x - 2x brand new prices because there is demand and limited new supply. I wont be buying....
... at the same time, can eBay sellers be trusted to have 'stock in hand'...? Call me über-cynical if you want, but if your 'e-tailer of choice' can supply at a price you're happy with, it'll be worth the wait; esp. if they've got a trusted record with you.
I wouldn't trust an eBay seller to have stuff in stock either tbh. I've had far too many claim stock in hand only to delay after purchase because, surprise surprise, they don't. I don't buy or sell anything on Fleabay that I can't afford to lose the money/item on anymore.
I feel much the same. I rarely buy through Ebay and, in any event, only low value items I can't find elsewhere and sell much less often. I just don't trust them any more.
An ebay storefront? Nop different than an Amazon storefront or a self-hosted one. An action for a single item from an independent seller? Very likely to actually have the item in question. Sure, an independent seller could try and scam you, but Paypal will screw over sellers in your favour if you so much as make a peep, so the risk is low for you and high for the seller.
I believe they would eventually send the item for that reason, but I definitely don't believe that it's 'in hand' as it were unless it's second hand, and the only tech I buy second hand is tech I'm passably confident I can repair myself if needs be.
I noticed the same thing with audio recorders like the Zoom H1 - they've all but vanished from ebay because everyone's doing live streams now and wants good audio quality. As for PC parts, it's always hit-and-miss on ebay because the ones that are cheap usually disappear within a few minutes of being listed.
